Unknown Curaçao goalkeeper becomes World Cup hero with record 15 saves

Eloy Room, 37, produced one of the standout performances of the 2026 World Cup, keeping Curaçao level in a 0-0 draw with Ecuador and earning his country its first-ever point in the tournament. Room made 15 saves, the most by any goalkeeper in a 90-minute World Cup match since recordkeeping began in 1966. The overall record remains Tim Howard’s 16 saves against Belgium in 2014, though that match went to extra time.

Room’s rise is notable as well as the performance itself. Born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, he played for Dutch youth teams, but in 2015 he accepted Patrick Kluivert’s request to represent Curaçao, the homeland of his father. Since then he has become a symbol of the national team and a central figure in its progress.

His club career has included Vitesse, PSV, and Columbus Crew, where he won the MLS Cup in 2020. He now plays for Miami FC in the US second division. His World Cup heroics also drew wide attention online, with FIFA naming him Man of the Match and social-media posts noting his historic save total and growing profile.

Room was emotional after the final whistle and cried at full time. For Curaçao, a country of about 158,000 people and the smallest ever to qualify for a World Cup, the point came after a 1-7 loss to Germany and keeps alive hopes of reaching the knockout stage. Curaçao will close Group E against Ivory Coast on June 25 in Philadelphia, while Ecuador faces Germany the same day in New Jersey.